Machine for making cartridge-shells.



C. A. BAILEY.

MACHINE FOR MAKING CARTRIDGE SHELLS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23, 1910.

1,066,980. Patented Ju1y'8, 1913.

5 SHEETSSHEET l.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

mummy PLANocRAPn co., WASHINGTON, n c

G. A. BAILEY. MACHINE FOR MAKING CARTRIDGE SHBLL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23, 1910.

Patented July 8, 1913. 5 sums-sum 2.

INVENTOR. C/ITBa/[w flw WITNESSES.-

A TTORNEY.

C. A. BAILEY. MACHINE FOR MAKING CARTRIDGE SHELLS. APPLICATION FILEDSEPT. 23, 1910.

1,066,980. 4 Patented Ju1y8,1913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

11V VEN T OR.

S 8.72 Bailey, w flmf AT RNEY.

di z w MACHINE BAILEY. AKING CARTRIDGE SHELLS.

FILED SEPT. 23 1 Patented July 8, 1913.

5 SHEETS-SHBET 4.

, 0. A. BAILEY. MACHINE FOR MAKING CARTRIDGE SHELLS. APPLICATION FILEDSEPT. 23, 1910.

1,066,980. Patented July 8, 1913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

J' WITNESSES- J %%4W. 7 a 1: Zaz'ey,

ATTOR E1.

INVENTOR.

UNITE CHARLES A. BAILEY, 0F CROMWELL, CONNECTICUT.

MACHINE FOR MAKING CARTRIDGE-SHELLS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 8, 1913.

Application filed September 23, 1910. Serial No. 583,386.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES A. BAILEY, acitizen of the United States, and resident of Cromwell, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Machines for Making Cartridge-Shells, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to machines for making cartridge shells, and moreespecially to that class thereof in which paper tubes or shells arewadded, capped, and primed, after which such shells are then ready to beloaded with powder and shot.

The invention has for one of its objects the provision of a machine ofthis character in which the several operations on the shell will besuccessively carried out without removing the paper tube from thecarrier until the shell is complete in itself.

The invention has also for its object certain improvements in themechanism whereby the several parts are operated to perform thefunctions above cited.

The invention has been clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawingsin which sim ilar characters denote similar parts and in which Figure lis a top view of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a centrallongitudinal section thereof on line 2, 2 indicated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa vertical cross section taken on line A, B of Fig. 1 looking in thedirection of arrow 3. Fig. 4 is also a section taken on line A, B ofFig. 1, but looking in the direction of arrow 4, indicated in saidfigure. Figs. 5 to 10 inclusive illustrate on an enlarged scale thedifferent steps which are employed to bring the cartridge shell into itsfinished condition, together with the tools employed therefor. Of these,Fig. 5 shows the first step, namely; that of seating a plain paper tubein the carrier. Fig. 6 illustrates the base-wad entered into the shell.Fig. 7 shows the base-wad in its position where it becomes operative tomaintain the body of the tube expanded while the front end of the shellis being slightly decreased or crimped for the reception of the metalfulminate cap. Fig. 8 shows the cap in place on the end of the shell.Fig. 9 shows the base-wad pushed into place within the end of the shell,the

cap being brought to the standard form and size. Fig. 10 shows theprimer inserted, this last step bringing the shell into its completecondition ready for loading.

In brief, my improved machine comprises a carrier adapted to receive anumber of paper tubes which are to be converted successively into primedcartridge shells. Proper feed chutes are provided to feed shellssuccessively into position to be seated into the carrier; also forbringing basewads consecutively in position to be inserted into tubes;also' for bringing the metal fulminate caps into position to be pushedonto the shells; and also to bring primers into position to be insertedinto the caps and wads. The resent carrier has sixteen recesses adapteto receive paper tubes, and it is intermittently rotated step-by-step tobring each tube (after it has been entered into the carrier), intoposition to be successively operated upon by the various tools wherebythe cartridge shell is finally completed. In other words, in the presentinstance there are seven different stations at each of which a certainfunction or operation is performed, namely :At the first station, thetube is pushed from the supplychute into the carrier; at the secondstation a base-wad is taken from the supply-chute and pushed partly intothe shell; at the third station the base-wad is pushed into positionnear the cap-end of the shell to maintain the same expanded while at thesame time the extreme end of the tube is crimped or reduced in diameter;at the fourth station a metal cap is removed from its chute and pushedonto the reduced extreme end of the shell; at the fifth station thebase-wad is pierced for the reception of the primer and compressed, therim of the cap being simultaneously brought to standard size and form;at the sixth station a primer is re moved from its feed-chute and pushedinto place through the head of the cap and also through the base-wad; atthe seventh station the finished cartridge shell is ejected from thecarrier. Inasmuch as the present carrier is provided with sixteentube-receiving recesses and, furthermore, inasmuch as some of thestations follow very closely upon each other, or are adjacent to eachother, it follows that the intermittent or step-by-step movement of thecarrier should be equal to machine is :journaled. This shaft has aflywheel 23 to whicha belt maybe applied, and it has also acentrally-disposed crank 24: which is connected (by an adjustableconnecting rod 25-) with a slide 26 guided in ways 27 on the bed of themachine. This slide carries a series of tools which are brought intooperative relation with the several tubes in the carrier simultaneouslyduring each rotation of the crank 24.

Secured to the rear end of the shaft 22, is a bevel gear 28 inengagement with a similar gear 29 secured on a longitudinal shalt 30which is mounted in bearings 81 held on the bed of the machine. At itsfront end the shaft. 30 has a bevel gear 32 in engagement with a similargear 38, the latter being mounted upon one end-of a cam shaft 2% whichis journaled in bearings 35 of the bed plate and which carries a cam 36whereby proper motion is imparted to a slide 37 guided in ways 88 of themachine bed.

The general organization of the slides 26 and 37 is such that they movetoward each other simultaneously and become, therefore, cooperative inperforming certain functions in connection with the shellscontained inthe carrier which is disposed between said slides. This carrier isherein designated by the numeral 40, and is mounted for rotation on astud 4:1 (see Fig. 2) which is rigidly held in a vertically-disposedplate 4L2, firmly secured to the machine-bed, as clearly shown inFig. 1. Arranged within the carrier 40 are a series of recesses (sixteenas above stated) which contain hardened bushings 43 (see Fig. 8) withineach of which a tube is placed and retained until the cartridge-shell iscomplete.

By referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that at station I a plain papertube 8 is fed through the chute T into position opposite the bushing43-at that point, by a plunger T secured to the slide 2", as is clearlyshown in Fig. 5 in which the plunger is shown hav'ng'a reduced front endT to enter and locate the end of the tube relatively to said plungerduring the forward =or insertlng movementthereof. As new the sllde 26 1sretracted by virtue of the crank 24, the cartance into the rear end ofthe tube which is held in its position within the bushing 43, as forinstance by a holder or stop bracket 44.

The tool employed for pushing the wad into place is herein designated bythe numeral and is carried by the slide 37 while a follower 45 carriedby the slide 20 may be employed to maintain the wad w in its straightposition within the tube .9. lVhile under ordinary circumstances thetube .9 is not liable to leave its place within the carrier 40,advantage may be taken of the two tools WV and 45 to slightly compressthe primarily crowned wad so as to expand the tube at that point andthus hold the same frictionally within the carrier. In other words, thetube would be crowded at that point and, furthermore, the wad would bemore apt to remain in its place shown in Fig. 6. The next partialrotation of the carrier 40 will bring the tube .9 with its wad tostation III (see Fig. 7), where the wad w is pushed toward the front endof the tube 8 by a plunger secured to the slide 37, this advancemovement of the wad bringing the latter into such position that thefront of the tube 8 near its extreme end will be maintained in itsexpanded or full size condition, while the extremeend 3 (see Fig. 7)will be reduced or crimped so as to be ready for the reception of themetal primer-cap of the shell. The crimping or reducing op eration isperformed by a crimping tool R secured to the slide 26 and comprising acylindrical shell, the bore of which is substantially equal to thereduced size of the tube-end. Mounted within the tubular shell 13, is afollower 5'0 which is normally forced outward by a spring 51 to preventthe tube s from being pulled out of its place within the bushing l3 bythe friction between the crimping shell R, and the tube end .9 when theslide 26 is retracted. The outward movement of the follower 50 ispreferably limited by a screw 52' clearly shown in Fig. '7. From theforegoing, it will be understood that the inside diameter of the tube 8,or more particularly speaking of that of the front end 8, is naturallyslightly less than that of the main body of the tube 3. The next partialrotation of the carrier 40 will bring the now reduced tube to station TVat which point the-cap chute C is located, and where a plunger C securedto the slide 26 (see Fig. 8) will become instrumental in pushing a metalcap (1 onto the reduced end 8 of the tube 8. It will be noted that inthe condition shown in Fig. 8, the cap 0 has a head 0 as it waspreviously formed in a blanking machine, or in other words open.Furthermore, the metal cap 0 may have its central portion punchedinwardly as shown at 0 so as to adapt the same to receive thebutton-projection C of the plunger C. This will insure the cap 0 beingpositioned centrally to the plunger C. The next partial rotation of thecarrier 40 will bring the now capped tube to station V at which pointthe wad 20 will be forced into the capped end of the shell by a forcer Fwhich is provided at its end with a central recess f to clear the end ofan awl point P which may be secured to, or form a part of, a piercingtool P secured to the slide 26, while the forcer F is secured to theslide 87. The piercing tool P also serves to move the shell tube 8bodily rearward so as to bring the cap into a recess provided in thefront end of the bushing 43, it being under stood that the back-plate4:2 is counterbored sufficiently to receive the rear end of the tube 8,as is shown in Fig. 9. Furthermore, at this station the heretofore openbead of the cap is now closely compressed and brought to standard sizeby virtue of the recess in the bushing 43, this compressing motion onthe wad and the cap body resulting in firmly uniting the base-wad and,the cap-end of the shell together. In the present instance I form thebase of the piercer P conical to correspond with the head of the primerwhich is to be inserted at station VI, illustrated in Fig. 10.

Inasmuch as the tube is carried from station V to the ejector-station(VII) in the arc of a circle concentric with the point of rotation ofthe carrier (stud 4L1), and the tube remains in its position in thecarrier during that time, and until finally ejected from the carrier atstation VII, the backplate 42 is circularly grooved between stations Vand VII so as not to interfere with the arcuate or revolving movement ofthe tube, (see dotted lines 9 in Fig.

At station VI primers are consecutively fed through the chute D intoposition opposite the plunger D which is secured to the slide 26 wherebya primer is moved from the chute D and forced into place in the base-wadas clearly shown in Fig. 10. In order to prevent the base-wad from beingpushed backward within the shell 8 by the insertion of the primer (Z, Ideem it advantageous to employ a backing tool H which is secured to theslide 37 and has at its front end a recess h whereby interference withthe insertion of the primer from the front end will be prevented, itbeing understood that the inner end of the primer (Z extends slightlybeyond the inner face of the wad so that it may cooperate with thepowder filling of the shell.

Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that it would require three partialrotations of the carrier 40 to bring the tube or now finished shell fromstation VI to station VII at which point the shell is ejected from thecarrier by a mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. Here itwill be seen that at station VII, I have provided a rod 60 guided forlongitudinal movement in the bed 20 and also in a bearing 61 se cured tothe bed. The rod carries a collar 62 which is connected by a link 63with a lever G l, pivoted at 65 on the bed of the machine and connectedat a point intermediate its ends by a link 66 with the slide 37, whenceit follows that the movement of the ejector rod 60 occurs simultaneouslywith that of the slide 37, but for a greater distance than that of thelatter, which distance is commensurate with the requirements properlyperforming that function.

While the movement of the slide 26 is entirely controlled by the crank24, the movement of the slide 87 is, as has been previously stated,under the control of a cam 36 (see Fig. 2). The rear end of the slide 37carries a yoke consisting of the upright parts 70 and 71 connected byguide rods 72, 73 and carrying rollers 74, 75 respectively, which are inengagement with opposite sides of the cam as clearly shown, the entireyoke being guided in a bushing 76, and also an extension of upright 77attached to the bed 20.

The manner in which the carrier 40 is intermittently rotated so as tobring the tube successively to the several stations above mentioned, asclearly shown in Figs. 2 and 8, in which the shaft 30 is shown having acam 80 in engagement with a roller 81 journaled on a stud 82 of a lever83 which is fulcrumed on a bracket 84 secured to the bed of the machine,and the lower end of which is connected by a link 85 with atransversely-movable slide 86 guided within the back-plate 42 abovementioned. Pivoted on the slide, as at 87, is a dog 88 having attachedthereto a spring 89 which serves to hold the free end of said dog intoengagement with the notched circumferential surface 90 of the carrier 40so that when the slide 86 moves toward the left, as seen in Fig. 3, thecarrier 40 will be rotated in the direction of arrow a for the amount ofone notch distance.

Means are provided for retaining the carrier 40 in its position duringthe time that the several tools described above are operative on theshell blanks in the carrier 40. These means consist preferably of aspringactuated detent shown herein in the shape of a slide 91 guided forlongitudinal movement in a bracket 92 secured to the backplate 42.

The slide 86 carries a cam-plate 93, the front face of which is slightlybeveled (as shown at 94), and adapted to engage a lug 95 carried on thedetent 91, so that when the slide 86 moves from left to right, as shownin Fig. 3, the cam-plate 93 will have moved the detent out of engagementwith the carrier 40, and the latter is, therefore, free to be rotated bythe reverse movement of said slide 86. This reverse movement will removethe cam-surface 94 from the lug 95, and the detent will, therefore, rideon the peripheral surface of the carrier until the latter has beenrotated sufficiently to bring the next notch thereof into position to beengaged by said detent so that the latter will then enter such notch andhold the carrier stationary during the operation of the slides 26 and37.

It will be noted that the cam 80 moves the lever 83 only in onedirection, it being understood that suitable means, such as a spring 96,may be employed for holding the cam roller 81 against the cam and at thesame time move the slide 86 from right to left. By virtue of thisconstruction, it is evident that the slide 86 is retracted by positivemeans, while the active movement of said slide is performed by thespring 96 which is naturally resilient, and, therefore, any lia-'blllllyOf breaKage of any of the parts during the feed movement of thecarrier will naturally be avoided.

Many changes may be made in the particular construction and organizationof the several elements cooperative in my improved machine, withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention as defined by the appendedclaims.

I claim 1. Inamachine of the character described,

the combination with a tube-supply, and a wad-supply, of a rotatabletube-carrier, means for partially rotating said carrier to bring a tubefrom the tube-supply into alinement with the wad-supply, means forpushing a wad from the wad-supply partially into said tube, and meansengaging the other side of the wad and for slightly compressing the samewithin the tube to hold the latter frictionally in the carrier.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination with atube-supply, and a wad-supply, of a rotatable tube-carrier means forpartially rotating said carrier to bring a tube from the tube-supplyinto alinement with the wad-supply, means for pushing a wad from the wadsupply into said carrier to bring a tube from the Wad-supply intoalinement with said reducing device, and means for actuating saiddevice.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination with arotatable tube-carrier, a wad-supply, and means for pushing a wad intosaid tube and expanding it therein, of a device for reducing theend-portion of said tube, means for rotating the carrier to bring a tubeinto alinement with said reducing device, and means for actuating thereducing-device.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination with atube-carrier, a wadsupply, and means for inserting a wad into said tube,of a device for reducing the end of said tube, said device comprising atubular shell having a bore slightly smaller than the body of said tube,means for mov ing said tubular shell toward the carrier, and means formaintaining the tube within the carrier during the retract-ing movementof said reducing-device.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination with atube-carrier, and means for reducing the end of the tube in the carrier,said means comprising a tubular shell having a bore slightly smallerthan the body of the tube, of means for moving said tubular shell towardthe carrier, a follower movable within said shell and adapted to engagethe end of the tube during the forward movement of said shell, means forlimiting the outward movement of the follower in the shell, andresilient means for forcing said follower outwardly during theretracting movement of the reducing means.

7 In a machine of the character described, the combination with atube-carrier, a wadsupply, means for inserting a wad from the supplyinto said tube, means for expanding the wad in the tube to cause it tofrictionally engage the carrier, and means for slightly reducing the endof the tube, of a capsupply, a device for removing a cap from the supplyand placing the same onto the reduced port-ion of the tube, and meansfor actuating said device.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination with atube-carrier, a wadsupply, a device for inserting a wad into a tube inthe carrier, means for reducing the end of the tube, a cap-supply, andmeans for placing a cap from the cap-supply onto the reduced end portionof said tube, of a pair ofdevices engagingthe opposite sides of the wadand cap respectively, and for compressing said wad and cap.

9. Ina'machine of the character described, the combination with atube-carrier, a wadsuppl a device 'for inserting a wad into a tube inthe carrier, means for reducing the end of the tube, a cap-supply, andmeans for placing a cap from the cap-supply onto the reduced end-portionof said tube, of a pair of devices engaging the opposite sides of thewad and cap respectively, and for compressing said wad and cap, andmeans for piercing the central portion of the cap and wad.

10. In a machine of the character described, the combination with atube-carrier, a wad-supply, a device for inserting a wad into a tube inthe carrier, means for reducing the end of the tube, a cap-supply, andmeans for placing a cap from the cap-supply onto the reduced end-portionof said tube, of a pair of devices engaging the opposite sides of thewad and cap respectively, and for compressing said wad and cap, and apiercer carried by the cap-engaging device and for piercing said cap andwad.

11. In a machine of the character described, the combination with atube-carrier, a wad supply, a device for inserting a wad into a tube inthe carrier, means for reducing the end of the tube, a cap-supply, andmeans for placing a cap from the cap-supply onto the reduced end-portionof said tube, of a pair of devices engaging the opposite sides of thewad and cap respectively, and for compressing said wad and cap, andmeans for actuating both of said devices simultaneously and in oppositedirections.

12. In a machine of the character described, the combination with atube-carrier, a wad-supply, a device for inserting a wad into a tube inthe carrier, means for reducing the end of the tube, a cap-supply, andmeans for placing a cap from the cap-supply onto the reduced end-portionof said tube, of a pair of devices engaging the opposite sides of theWad and cap respectively, and for compressing said wad and cap, apiercer carried by the cap-engaging device and for piercing said cap andwad, a primer supply, and means for inserting a primer into the piercedcap and wad.

13. In a machine of the character described, the combination with atube-carrier, a wad-supply, a device for inserting a wad into a tube inthe carrier, means for reduc ing the end of the tube, a capsupply, andmeans for placing a cap from the cap-supply onto the reduced end portionof said tube, of a pair of devices engaging the opposite sides of thewad and cap, a piercer carried by the cap-engaging device and forpiercing said cap and wad, a primer supply, means for inserting a primerinto the pierced cap and wad, and a device for backing the wad duringthe insertion of the primer.

141. In a machine of the character described, the combination with arotatable carrier adapted to receive a series of tubes, and a series ofdevices for successively operating upon the tubes in the carrier andcomprising wad-supplying means, devices for reducing the end of the tubefor the reception of the cap, cap-supplying means, and means forpiercing the cap and wad, of means for actuating all of said devicessimultaneously.

15. In a machine of the character described, the combination with arotatable carrier adapted to receive a series of tubes, and a series ofdevices for successively operating upon the tubes in the carrier andcomprising wad-supplying means, devices for reducing the end of the tubefor the reception of the cap, cap-supplying means, and means forpiercing the cap and wad, and primer supplying means, of means foractuating all of said devices simultaneously.

16. In a machine of the character described, the combination with arotatable carrier adapted to receive a series of tubes, a reciprocatoryslide movable toward and away from the carrier, and a series of devicessuccessively operating upon said tube, said devices comprisingtube-supplying means, wad-supplying means, cap-supplying means,wadpiercing and compressing means, and primer-supplying means, all ofsaid devices being secured to said reciprocatory slide, of a series ofbacking tools cooperative with the first named devices, a slide forsupporting said backing tools, and means for actuating both of saidslides toward and away from each other simultaneously.

17. In a machine of the character de scribed, the combination with arotatable carrier adapted to receive a series of tubes, a reciprocatoryslide movable toward and away from the carrier, and a series of de vicessuccessively operating upon said tube, said devices comprisingtube-supplying means, wadsupplying means, cap-supplying means,wad-piercing and compressing means, and primer-supplying means, all ofsaid devices being secured to said reciprocatory slide, of a series ofbacking tools co operative with the first named devices, a slide forsupporting said backing tools, means for actuating both of said slidestoward and away from each other simultaneously, and an eject-0r devicecontrolled by the movement of the backing slide for ejecting thefinished cartridge shell from the carrier.

18. In a machine of the character de scribed, the combination with arotatable carrier adapted to receive a series of tubes, a reciprocatoryslide movable toward and away from the carrier, and a series of devicessuccessively operating upon said tube, said devices comprising atube-supplying means, wad-supplying means, cap-supplying means,wad-piercing and compressing means, and primer-supplying means, all ofsaid devices being secured to said reciprocatory slide, of a series ofbacking tools cooperative with the fii'st'named devices, a slideforsupporting said hacking tools, means for actuating both of said'slidestoward and away from each other simultaneously, an: ejector 5 devicecontrolled by the movement of the backing slide and for ejecting thefinished cartridge shell from the carrier, said ejector devicecomprising a rod and an oscillatory leverconnected With said rod, andmeans for connecting said level and backing slide.

CHARLES A. BAILEY. Witnesses ELMER Gr. DERBY, CI-IAs. F. SCHMELZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D; C.

